Improvement in electric lights



E WESTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. Electric-Light.

No. 210,380. Patented Nov. 26,1878- fi'gm'e Z 1 NVFETERS,FHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. WESTON. Electric-Light.

No. 210,380. Pa?ented Nov. 26,1878. 1' ,y h

N. PETERS, PHDTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EDW'ARD \VESTON, OF NEWARK, NE? JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO \VESTONDYNAMOFLEOTRIO MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,380, dated November526, 1878; application lih-d November 4, 1878.

Onsn No. 2.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD WEs'roN, ofNewark, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus forthe Production of Electric Light, of which the following is aspecification:

My improvements are of twofold character. They relate, first, to devicesfor introducing into the electric are a conductingvapor, which, bylessening the resistance between the points of the electrodes, afi'ordsan efiectual means of retainin the arc in a prescribed path between theelectrodes, and by its combustion increases the illuminating power ofthe arc; and, secondly, to the combination, with electric-lightapparatus in which the arc varies in position, of an automatic igniter.

The first part of my invention consists in the application to, andconsequent combination with, one or each of the electrodes of anelectric lamp, candle, or torch, but preferably with the positiveelectrode only, of a cylinder or stick of any material, which, althoughnot placed between the electrodes, is capable of being slowlyvolatilized by the heat of the electric arc, and which, whenvolatilized, affords a vapor of better conductivity than the carbonparticles, which vapor, by its combustion, effects the illuminatingqualities of the arc, and by its passage to the negative electrode fixesand defines the path in which the are is maintained.

1 may embody this invention in an electric torch composed of twostationary carbons or electrodes fixed in relatively parallel positions,and respectively connected with the opposite poles of a battery or othersource of electricity; and I may also embody it in the tiltingelectrode-lamp which forms the subject of my application for a patentfiled September 28, 1878, designated as Case No. 1, as will more fullyappear from the subjoined description.

The second part of my invention consists in the combination, with theelectrodes of an electric lamp, candle, or torch, of an igniter,composed, preferably, of a stick of carbon, and made, by the action ofgravity or a spring, when the arc is extinguished, to enter between thepoints of the electrodes, and by partially bridging the gap at thatpoint to reestablish the are, and thereupon, by the preponderatin actionupon it of an electro-magnet polarized in consequence of there-establishment of the current, made to withdraw from proximity withthe ends of the electrodes.

The accompanying drawings, representing apparatus embodying myinvention, are as follows Figure 1 is a side elevation of an elec trictorch provided with an automatically-operating igniter. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view.

The apparatus shown in the drawings consists of an electric torchcomposed of two stationary carbon sticks or electrodes, A the positiveelectrode and B the negative electrode, insulated from each other, andsupported in respectively parallel positions in suitable holders to andZ), properly affixed to the base G, and respectively connected with theopposite poles of a battery or other source of electricity by theline-wires a and b. Included in the circuit by proper connection withone of the line-wires is the helix of the electro-magnet C, which, whenpolarized, attracts the armature c, affixed radially to the hub 1),pivoted in a post, d. Attached to the hub D are suitable jaws forholding the igniter E, which is a stick made of carbon or any othersuitable conducting material. \Vhen the electro-magnet is polarized theigniter-stick, it will be seen, is rocked backward away from thestationary electrodes, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Then themagnet is depolarized the lover I) is rocked in the opposite direction,and the igniter-stick E is tilted forward between the points of thestationary electrodes, as shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1, by theaction of the spring 0. Then so tilted forward the i gniter partially orwholly bridges the gap be tween the points of the stationary electrodes,and by diminishing the resistance causes the electric arc to beestablished at that point. The instant the electric arc is establishedthe electro-magnet 0 becomes polarized, and, exertin g a forcepreponderating over that of the spring 0, attracts the armature c, andhence tilts the igniter away from the points of the electrodes. So longas the arc continues the electro-magnet remains polarized, and when thelight is extinguished from any cause it is immediately re-ignited by thetilting forward of the igniter in obedience to the action of the spring0.

It will be seen that this part of my invention is applicable to thatclass of electric candles in which the electrodes are placed parallel toeach other, and are separated by a fusible insulating material; and itwill also be seen that by using only one stationary electrode, and bysubstituting the other electrode in the place of the i gniter, theapparatus is converted into an electric lamp. In the latter case oneelectrode-as, for exam ple,the positive electrode A-is stationary, andis suitably connected with the positive pole of a battery or othersource of electricity, while the negative electrode is mounted in thejaws D of the rocking lever, and is provided with a connection with thenegative pole of the battery by a wire which includes the helix of theelectromagnet, as before.

Those who are familiar with the subject will readily perceive that thereare various ways in which the operation of the automatic igniter may begoverned by the current other than thatwhich I have chosen forillustration. Thus the functions of the electro-magnet and spring may berelatively reversed. The force of a spring or of gravity may be made towithdraw the i gniter from proximity with the electrodes, and the forceof an electro-magnet or electro helix may be employed to move theigniter up to the electrodes for the re-establishment of the are whenrequired. To effect this result the line-wires will be connecteddirectly with the two electrode-holders, and the electrode-holders willbe connected by a differential circuit containing the electro-magnet orelectro-helix, and also containing a rheostat of suitably-proportionedresistance. In this case the force of the electro-magnet will beinsufficient to overcome the force of the spring, excepting when, by theextingnishment of the arc, the entire current is compelled to passthrough the difl'erential circuit. Instead of using an electromagnet,two helices or coils may be employed, one being fixed in position andthe other being attached to the rocking arm of the igniter. In this casethe action of a spring or of gravity is enlisted to move the i gniter inone direction, and the force due to the polarization of the helices orcoils tending to alter their positions relatively to each other actsupon the igniterin the direction opposite to that in which the springacts.

It will be seen, on reference to'the drawings, that 'the positiveelectrodeA is provided upon the side farthest from the negativeelectrode with the rod or stick F, which is cemented or otherwisesecured in the longitudinal groove f formed in the side of theelectrode. This rod or stick may be made of various materials-as, forexample, of so-called lime glass, or of compounds of infusible earthsand metallic salts, silicates, double silicates, mixtures of thesilicates with other salts of metals, fluorides, double fluorides,mixtures of the double fluorides, fusible oxides, or combinations of thefusible oxides with the silicates, the requirements, so far as thematerial is concerned}being that it shall be capable of volatilizationwhen placed on the outer side of the electrode to which it is attached,and that its vapor shall be of greater conductivity than the vapor orparticles of carbon disengaged from the carbon electrodes. The foreignmaterial added to the carbon may be incorporated into the electrode bybeing mixed with the carbon of which the electrode is composed, or itmay be introduced into a tubular carbon; but I have found it best toplace it in a groove formed longitudinally in the side of the electrode,as shown. When the foreign material is applied to the positive electrodeonly the positive. electrode is made of about twice the area incross-section of the negative electrode.

One of the essential features of this part of my invention, consideredby itself, and without reference to the i gniter, consists in placingthe stick F upon the side of the positive electrode opposite to the sideadjacent to the negative electrode; and the object of this arrangementis to insure that the vapor generated from the material composing thestick F, by

the heat of the electric arc, shall be obliged to pass over the upperend of the positive electrode in order to reach the negative electrode,

and hence that the path of leastresistance shall be definitely fixed ina curved line the crown of which is slightly distant from theelectrodes, so that the electrodes will burn evenly at their ends, andthere will be no pos sibility of a change in the position of the are bywhich it shall be established otherwise than at the ends of theelectrodes.

So-called electric candles have heretofore been made with parallelelectrodes which have been insulated from each other by havingintroduced between and around them a fusible material, serving as ashield, which prevented the combustion of the carbon electrodes until,by the heat of the are, such material was melted and cleared away fromthe points of the carbons, setting them free as the wick of a candle isset free when the wax of which it is composed is melted; and it has alsoheretofore been proposed to incorporate into the insulatin g material soemployed certain substances which, by their combustion, would change thecolor or shade of the light.

It will, of course, be seen that my igniter can be as readily employedwith such candles as it can be with my electric torch, which differsfrom the electric candles heretofore used, first, because, consideredbroadly, itconsists in the combination, with one or both of theelectrodes, of a material which, when volatilized, affords a vapor ofgreater conductivity than the vapor of carbon; and, secondly, becausethe foreign material which I combine with my electrodes is placed on theoutside of one or both of the electrodes, and not between them, being soplaced for the purpose of maintaining the are in a curved path slightlydistant from the points of the electrodes, as I have explained. Thispart of my invention greatly increases the steadiness of the light, andmay be embodied in my electric torches, which are constructed of twostationary elec trodes in electric lamps in which one or both of theelectrodes are movable, and especially in my tilting electrode-lamp.

I claim as my invention 1. In an electric lamp or torch, the combinationof one or each of the electrodes with a rod or cylinder composed of limeglass or other material the vapor of which is combustible, and is ofgreater conductivity than the vapor of carbon, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. An electric torch composed of two stationary electrodes fixed inrelatively parallel positions, and respectively connected with theopposite poles of a battery or other source of electricity, and havingcemented or otherwise attached to the outer side of one or each electrode a rod or cylinder of lime glass or other material the vapor ofwhich is combustible, and is of greater conductivity than the vapor ofcarbon, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with an electric lamp, candle, or torch in which theposition of the arc is varied by the combustion of the electrodes, anautomatic igniter composed of a movable conducting body, a spring, andan electro-magnet, the helix of which is included in the circuit whichsupplies the current for the arc, the spring operating to move and holdthe igniter against or between the points of the electrodes when the arcis extinguished, and the electro-magnet operating to move and hold theigniter away from the points of the electrodes when the are isestablished, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the negative electrode B, of an electric lamp ortorch, the pos itive electrode A having twice the area of the negativeelectrode in cross-section, and being provided with the longitudinalgroove f, in which is cemented or otherwise secured the stick F of limeglass or other material, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. Broadly, in combination with an electric candle or torch in which theposition of the are is varied by the combustion of the electrodes, amovable igniter having a variable range of motion automatically governedin its operation by the current, substantially as described.

EDW'ARD \VESTON.

\Vitnesses:

F. M. QUIMBY, W. L. STEVENS.

